Jordan Rubin and Garden of Life Ordered
to Stop Making Unsubstantiated Advertising Claims

Stephen Barrett, M.D.

Garden of Life, Inc., of West Palm Beach, Florida, and its founder and owner, Jordan S. Rubin, have been ordered to stop claiming that their dietary supplements are effective against a long list of ailments, ranging from colds to cancer. In 2004, the FDA ordered Garden
of Life to stop making unsubstantiated claims for "Q-Zyme,""Primal
Defense," "Virgin Coconut Oil," "Fungal Defense,"
"FYI (For Your Inflammation)," "RM-10," "Revivall
Classic," or other products [1] In 2006, the FTC filed a complaint and consent agreement involving unsubstantiated claims that:

Must pay $225,000 in consumer redress. If it is found they misrepresented their financial status, they will be responsible for more than $47 million—the total gross sales of the four dietary supplements.

Are barred from making unsubstantiated claims about the health benefits, performance, efficacy, safety, or side effects of any food, drug, or dietary supplement, or any program that includes such a product.

Are prohibited from misrepresenting the results of any test or study when marketing such products and programs [2].

Rubin's press materials state that he has degrees in naturopathic medicine and nutrition and is certified as a nutritional consultant [4]. However, none of his "credentials" have any legitimate academic or professional standing:

His "CNC" (Certified Nutritional Consultant) comes from the American
Association of Nutritional Consultants, whose only requirement
for "professional member" status has been payment of
a $50 or $60 fee. The CNC requires passage of a test based mainly
on the contents of books that promote nutrition quackery [5].